A Pilot Study on Self-Care Module in Preventing Mental Health Risks for Youth

Self-Care Module for Mentally Healthy Youth
Vol. 21 No. 2 : 2026 (987-1008)

Nur Iziatul Athirah M Daud Nur Iziatul Athirah M Daud
Rosnah Sutan Rosnah Sutan
Zaleha Md Isa Zaleha Md Isa

Abstract
Youth are a national asset with growing potential to develop the country through academic achievement and career skills. They are facing post-pandemic challenges resulting in life stress, resilience and declining personal health functions. It has an impact on public and social health due to school dropout, suicide attempts, vandalism, bullying and the use of illegal substances. Mental health problems continue to increase at an alarming rate despite various initiatives that have been implemented. There is a lack of accessible publications regarding strategic interventions as best practices. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a newly developed self-care module intervention for promoting mental health. A sequential exploratory mixed methods study was used, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses focusing on young people in higher education institutions aged 18-21 years. The control group (n = 33) and intervention group (n = 33) were assessed for feasibility and 3-month follow-up. Intervention modules in the form of flip books and digital applications were developed to improve youth self-care in preventing stress, anxiety, depression, and measuring youth well-being and quality of life. The study found significant differences for all Dependent Variables (Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale-Revised, Youth Quality of Life-Short Form, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Brief-COPE and Y-Healthy Life Module Quiz) with a p < 0.001 using both methods (printed modules and digital applications) at pre- and post-intervention. In conclusion, self-education approaches in promoting mental health among youth are feasible to implement.
Keywords : Anxiety; depression; intervention; mental health; stress; youth,
Abstrak
Golongan belia merupakan aset negara yang berpotensi membangunkan negara melalui pencapaian akademik dan kemahiran kerjaya. Namun, golongan ini berdepan dengan cabaran pasca pandemik yang mengakibatkan tekanan hidup, ketahanan diri yang terjejas serta kemerosotan fungsi kesihatan diri. Situasi ini memberi impak kepada kesihatan awam dan sosial, termasuk peningkatan keciciran sekolah, cubaan bunuh diri, vandalisme, buli dan penggunaan bahan terlarang. Masalah kesihatan mental terus meningkat pada tahap yang membimbangkan walaupun pelbagai inisiatif telah dilaksanakan. Selain itu, terdapat kekurangan penerbitan yang boleh dicapai berhubung dengan intervensi strategik sebagai amalan terbaik. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menilai kebolehlaksanaan intervensi modul penjagaan kendiri yang baru dibangunkan bagi mempromosikan kesihatan mental. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk kaedah campuran penerokaan berurutan yang mengabungkan analisa kuantitatif dan kualitatif dengan memberi tumpuan kepada belia berumur 18-21 tahun di institusi pengajian tinggi. Kumpulan kawalan (n = 33) dan kumpulan intervensi (n = 33) dipilih untuk kajian kebolehlaksanaan serta susulan selepas 3 bulan. Modul intervensi dalam bentuk buku selak (flip book) dan aplikasi digital telah dibangunkan bagi meningkatkan amalan penjagaan kendiri dalam kalangan belia untuk mencegah masalah stres, kebimbangan dan kemurungan, di samping mengukur kesejahteraan serta kualiti hidup belia. Hasil kajian menunjukkan terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan bagi semua pemboleh ubah bersandar ("Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale-Revised", "Youth Quality of Life-Short Form", "Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21", "Brief-COPE" dan Kuiz Modul Y-Healthy Life) dengan nilai p < 0.001 menggunakan kedua-dua kaedah penyampaian (modul bercetak dan aplikasi digital) antara penilaian praintervensi dan pascaintervensi. Kesimpulannya, pendekatan pendidikan kendiri dalam mempromosikan pengurusan kesihatan mental di kalangan belia boleh dilaksanakan.
Kata Kunci : Belia, intervensi; kebimbangan; kemurungan; kesihatan mental; stres,

Correspondance Address
*Correspondence: rosnah.sutan@ukm.edu.my


Flow chart of the mental health literacy intervention  study (Y-Healthy Life Module)